Thursday, May 27, 2010

Lucas celebrated his birthday a little late this year. Just maybe that's because his baby sister joined the family 6 days prior to his birthday.It was a small affair, just 3 friends and a couple of extra adults. He still had fun eating his ice cream pie, playing on the trampoline, and opening gifts. Thank you to all who helped to make it special.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Crazy KidsI just realized this has been in my to finish posts. The first Sabbath for Abigayle to attend church... I dressed my girls in matching outfit ( compliments of Grandma ' Tine) The blue looks great on both of them! I had to get some pictures. Lucas was trying to copy Abigayle in the second picture- cross-eyed.Rick was gone this weekend, kite boarding with his brother and a friend. He helped get everybody ready and loaded into the car. I really appreciated the help. We made it a bit late to Sabbath school. That went fine. I didn't try to do church. I thought it would be a bit much to try to keep everybody quiet by myself.I was there at church till well after 11:00 though. Heather and I were having too much fun visiting about labor and delivery stuff after Sabbath school.Upon arriving home, I decided a rest was in order for me. Then it was changing my children and getting food together for a picnic in the park with friends. What a delightful way to spend the afternoon. Thanks Jenee' for arranging it.Everybody was helpful with my kids. So it made it much easier. We made it home about 3:00 and everybody had naps. Rick didn't get home until close to 10:00. All in all the day went much better than I anticipated.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

The first week has flown by... What a precious new addition to our family. She brings so much joy. At the same time, I always forget how much longer it takes to go anywhere or do anything with a brand new baby. Inevitably there is a feeding, being burped up upon, or a poopy diaper that requires a whole outfit change.She sleeps a lot- of course. Her feedings really vary. Sometimes it's 5 hours apart at night to maybe an hour between. Either way, she is gaining weight. She is now a whopping 7 lbs 8 oz.Lucas loves to hold her- surprisingly he can do so without help. Abrianna points to Abigayle and says, "A'gayle!" Then to herself, "A 'anna". She does her best to share toys and water cups as well.We're still working on making sure that the older ones love cups aren't neglected.I've had an abundance of help from my family. Rick took last Friday off and spent it with the kids. My mom and youngest brother came up on Sunday night from CA. It was nice to have an errand runner and house cleaner. Mom is so thorough. In fact, yesterday she and Alyssa pretty much scoured my house and did all the laundry including folding it. So nice to be left with a clean house.Today is my first day at home with all three kids by myself. It's been relatively easy. I've very low expectations. We spent an hour outside this morning.The downside of today is all the gross messes. Abigayle slept so well last night. I didn't get up once. The downside was when I did get up my pad overfilled. TMI , I know.Then Abrianna pooped all the way up to her shoulder blade. Bath time with plenty of soap. Abigayle's gotten me a couple of times with burp up and once peed making it look as if I'd wet my pants. Clean clothes for both of us.All in all though an easy day.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Saturday, May 8, 2010

On Wednesday afternoon I spoke with my midwife, Sherry. She told me that she thought that my body was ready enough for labor and that I could try castor oil the following morning. I was too chicken to try that last time. This time I was so ready to be done I was willing to sit on the toilet for 2+ hours. Sherry said that it takes 12-24 hours before labor will kick in, IF your ready.Hoping that the castor oil would work, I spent the remaining part of Wednesday shopping to get ready for being at home for awhile. Oh, and I'd already done all the laundry earlier too.

Early the morning of May 6 I took the dread castor oil. Such gross stuff! You mix it with orange juice and baking soda, blenderize it and voila' chug it down. YUCKY! 2 1/2 hours later, I was done and ready to sleep. So ready in fact, I fell asleep on the couch- a rarity for me.

I was ready to fill time while I waited so I invited Tiffany Michaels and her boys to come on over. They did come bearing taco bell, which I skipped. My stomach was still feeling pretty gross. After lunch we took the kids for a 2 mile walk.Bidding them farewell, I called Heather Perrin to come over and watch the Business of Being Born, with me. Then I called Sherry to join us.As the dvd progressed me braxton-hicks started hurting. So Sherry said she'd check me when the dvd was over. I urgently requested she check me a while later- while the dvd was still running. At 4:00 baby had engaged, I was 3 1/2 cm and about 50% effaced. She wanted to wait until 5:00 to call Rick to come home. I felt that was a poor idea.Alyssa ( my sister) called Reggie ( who'd just finished clinicals) to come and pick up her and the kids. I couldn't handle the noise at that point.By 5:00 I was 6 cm and 80% effaced. It was intense enough I had Sherry call Rick and Susan ( a local midwife friend) to come. By this point I was naked and in my bath tub. For me the pain levels of contractions are so much lower when I'm in hot water. Shortly there after I moved to the birthing tub.Susan arrived at 6:00. I was complete. Where was Rick? He arrived at 6:30 to a groaning wife who's water bag had just broken- sliding Abigayle all the way down the birth canal.Finally the urge to push. (I'd tried a few times earlier and it just plain HURT - sending shooting pains across the creases in the front of my legs.) After the first push, Sherry insisted I turn over, because she couldn't provide the right support from the angle I was in. Turn over? Are you kidding?? I couldn't turn over. So I was turned over. Two more pushes and at 6:45 out emerged our new daughter, Abigayle Christine 7 lbs 2 oz and 20 1/2 inches long, 14 inch head.She did so well! Her initial and 5 min. apgar were 10!On of the most precious aspects of a homebirth is having baby totally to yourself for the first bit. No rush to cut the cord or weigh and measure. Abigayle latched on shortly after birth and nursed really well. What a switch from her older sister.Reggie called to find out how I was doing. I had the pleasure of telling him that Abigayle had arrived 45 min earlier. We'd just been basking in the glow of our precious new addition.

Sherry likes for her babies to unwind in the water before getting them out and doing all the vitals of weighing and measuring. Look how much she loved that.

Both my other children were so excited and proud of their new baby sister.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

I've reached that time... That time where I've started receiving phone calls and messages to see if my baby has arrived. That time when I dread going to church and hearing, "what you're still pregnant? How much longer do you have?"It's amazing to me how many people expect me to be able to "just have that baby!" As if by saying it, I have the power to press a button and magically make my baby come out. Oh, if only that were so!I think in some ways, before modern medicine, that it may have been easier for women to have a date range of when baby may come. Not a specific day to count down to. Then maybe there weren't so many questions asking why your baby hasn't come yet. Last I checked, my baby can't read a calendar.So, for now... I'm passing the time by scheduling things. Yesterday I had a prenatal check and then cleaned like a mad woman all day. Sherry's ( midwife) assessment yesterday is that all systems are go. My cervix is ripe, mucus plug gone and dilated to 3 cm. I could go anytime within the next week. That combined with my boundless energy served to make Rick a little nervous. He requested to see the birthing pool so he'd know how to set it up if I requested in the middle of the night.I did MOPS this morning, picked up all those sticks in the backyard from yesterdays wind storm, walked down to the store for some produce, and then drove back to the store with my boy in tow to pick out ice cream for his upcoming birthday next week.Tomorrow? Bread baking and a massage. We'll see what else.Thursday is empty. I may have to do a play date.Friday? Another massage. Gotta keep from dwelling on when "IT" will happen.

To those of you who think I may not tell when baby's born... Fear no more! I'll be shouting it from the roof tops. I hope to be able to show my little girl off all my well friends when the time has arrived.

Until then... Who knows. I'll probably not be blogging much. Have a hard time focusing on anything other than my impending labor and delivery of my precious baby.

Oh and by the way... I think my energy surge yesterday was partially because I'm FINALLY done watching Jojo! YEAH!